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Education World: Computers in the High School Classroom

Discussion of issues surrounding this topic and easy ways to begin integrating technology

The Fischbowl

An educator's blog, full of thought provoking comments on the process of change in education



Polyvision Workshop - 2/25/2008

Presenter: Carissa Bailey
(678) 542-3176
cbailey@polyvision.com
Webster software is just (literally) an electronic whiteboard. You can take pictures (snapshots) as you write on the board. You can then post those snapshots on your website for students to view from home (they will need to download the Webster software - for free - before they can view them at home). Another cool feature: Playback. Students can watch the writing take place. Great for solving equations and other step-by-step lessons.

Webster is the software that powers the whiteboard, so it must ALWAYS be running when you are using the board. If you are using Easiteach, the Internet, Power Point, or any other software, and you want the board to be interactive, Webster must also be open.

Settings
  • Set your Playback preference to "Optimized" rather than "Real Time" so that the students don't have to sit through an entire presentation just to get to the part they want to see. Other preferences include, default pen color, turn sounds off and on, Auto-Save features, number of points you want to use to calibrate the board.
  • To re-calibrate the board - touch the "Projection" button on the side and the calibration screen opens.
  • Backdrops - You can use any picture from your computer (clip art, photos, etc) to use as your whiteboard backdrop. You can download premade backdrops from www.polyvision.com. Go to Services --> Downloads, click on "Mac" and then "TS Series Interactive Whiteboards." You can also find the user guide and other useful downloads here.

Export Images
  • Under Settings you can decide what file type you want your snapshots to export as (PDF, JPEG, etc)
  • Go to File --> Export Image
  • Give it a name and change the file type (if you don't want the default)

Floating Toolbar
  • Far right button - shade. Allows you to show only a portion of the screen at a time.
    • Spotlight button is similar to that.
Stylus
  • No batteries - your finger will work just as well (but you have to push harder)
  • Call tech support to get a new stylus

Eraser
  • Two options - narrow or wide
  • Can use the button on the side or the one on the toolbar

Highlighter
  • Allows you to highlight over text you already wrote (yellow button on the toolbar)

Pen thickness
  • 3 widths - skinny, medium, and thick (buttons are on the toolbar)

Internet
  • Keep Webster running
  • Open Safari or Firefox
  • Use the pen or highlighter tools to annotate over a website
    • links in site will not be clickable ("dead" or static webpage)
  • Use the arrow tool to make the links in the site active (be aware - changing from the pen to the arrow will permanently erase all of the marks you have made on the page. If you want to save them, take a snapshot before you click the arrow tool).

http://polyvision.wikispaces.com

  • Created by Carissa as a resource for teachers who are using Polyvision boards in their classrooms.
  • Available for you to view - if you want to contribute, sign up for a wikispaces account (free for educators!! at www.wikispaces.com/site/for/teachers100K), go to the Polyvision wiki and click "Join this Space" at the top left corner of the screen.
  • Tons of useful websites sorted by subject area, by application, etc. Many are interactive (great to use with the board!).

RM Easiteach Software


www.rmeducation.com
  • Free download of ET Reader, so that students can view Easiteach files from their home computers
    • If your students download this file, you can save your Easiteach files, post them to TeacherWeb or your Wikispace, and students can access them from home

To add content area toolbars (you only need to do this once):
  • Open the Easiteach software
  • Go to File --> About RM Easiteach
  • Click on "Upgrade License"
  • Put in the Serial Number: 10060000
  • Put in the Key:
    • English: 26953321
    • Geography: 41700370
    • Science: 37225353

Working with Text
  • Click the T on your toolbar to type and to edit your typing
    • To edit, double click on your text
    • Then click the lowercase "e" at bottom right of toolbar to bring up the "Text Effect" box
  • To erase, highlight what you want to erase and click the scissors
    • OR, click the trash can on the toolbar and then click on the text you want erased
  • To undo, click the back arrow on the toolbar (unlimited undo!)

Working with Shapes
  • Click the rectangle on the toolbar
  • Click and drag to create a rectangle
  • To change the color after it is created, click the color bubble to choose a color
  • Then click on the paint can and select the shape you want to change

Working with Pre-made Images
  • Go to the Resources menu (bottom of screen)
  • Click on "Multimedia Bank" to get Easiteach images (sorted by category)
    • OR, go to "Browse" and pull up your own Image files (clip art, photos, etc)
    • Also lets you bring in movies, mp3s, etc.
  • Click on the "T" on the toolbar and then select the image
    • Use the red corners to change the size of the image
    • Use the green square to rotate the image
  • You can type words to label an image, then click on the Hand button to pick up and move the word onto the matching part of the image
    • Or, go to the Science Toolbar (in the Toolbars menu at the bottom of the screen) and use a magnetic arrow to link the word to the part of the image it matches
    • The Science Toolbar also has a Diagram feature, similar to Inspiration
      • Use the red corners to resize
      • Use the "T" button on the regular toolbar to type inside the diagram boxes

Exciting Interactions
  • Create a *Hide and Show* box
    • Create a shape or use a picture (see directions above)
      • If you want text inside the shape, type it in now
      • Then, use the "Group" button on the toolbar to group the text and the shape
    • Click on the T and select the picture or shape
    • Click on the Wrench
    • On the wrench toolbar, click on Links
    • Click on Animate
    • Select "Hide/Show on click"
  • Create an Animation
    • Insert the objects you want to animate (images from a file, for example)
    • Draw the path of the animation using the line button on your toolbar
    • Use the T button to select the line and the object that you want to move
    • Click on the Wrench and then on Links
    • Click on Animate and select "Follow over __ seconds"
    • You can check the "repeat" box if you want the animation to loop
    • To make the line disappear, click on the "Donut" on the toolbar and select Transparent

Create a Link to a Webpage
  • Insert a shape or image
  • Select it, using the T button on the toolbar
  • Click on the Wrench and then Links
  • Click on File and select "Load/Run"
  • Type the web address in the box
  • Now when you click on the image it will bring up the Internet on the page you selected

Create a Link to a Different Easiteach Slide
  • Follow the steps above, but when you get to Links, click on "Tag" instead of File
  • Select the Slide you want to jump to
  • Now when you click on the image it will jump to the slide you selected

Change the Slide Background
  • Click on the Wrench
  • Click on Backgrounds
  • Choose a color or select an image from the Multimedia Bank to be your background
    • There is graph paper, lined paper, dotted paper, etc., as well as pictures and other images